Google's buy-in to XXX and Spam

[Cuc Tu]

What is it with Google and it's apparent buy-in to promoting spam and porn?

The past few months when I click on search results, I get directed to some heavy duty porn and spam sites. Usually these have a major pop-up maze to get out of them I have to crash my browser.

For example, I search for:

shadow sabre spark plug socket

And the first result is:

CLICK HERE! INFO ABOUT: honda scrambler manualhonda shadow sabre 07 honda shadow sabre 110 honda shadow sabre 1100 honda shadow sabre 1100 ... honda shadow spark plug socket honda shadow spark pulgs ...
dir2000.org.uk / www.ed.gov / test /6 / pages.php?p=2743 - 91k - Cached - Similar pages

and the address that results is:

http:// 0scan / free


I can't believe that these are just getting buy Google and they are either making the sites themselves or promoting them.

Anyway, I don't want to go to those sites and find that I might just have to dump Google to avoid them.

[classicsoftware]

When I search for shadow sabre spark plug socket, I get this (www.cruiserfx.com/Installation/Install-PlugCovers-1.pdf) as my first link. I believe you are infected with something and you should post a Hijackthis (http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=60009) log.

[George Hallam]

i get the dodgy page aswell (well its 3rd on the list) but i dont think im infected :confused:

[Budfred]

Google is essentially under attack these days... The same wonderful people (suppressing vomiting noises) that bring you Windows Antivirus 2008 and other malware scum are creating the attack and Google is trying to stop it, but they keep coming:

http://www.spywareinfoforum.com/index.php?showtopic=109146

[PrntRhd]

My fully patched XP SP3 returns Honda motorcycle results, not porn or malware results to the "shadow sabre spark plug socket" query.
If your results are different, it might be really prudent to check for infection like Classicsoftware and Budfred have explained.

I only checked the first 7 pages of results, FYI.

[George Hallam]

shall i start new thread with HJT log?

[PrntRhd]

Yes, that would be best.

[Cuc Tu]

My apploligies,

This:

shadow sabre spark plug socket size

is the search that brings the bad result to the top.

The original returns it as the second result.

I don't doubt that Google is under attack, but no more than any other high level website. And I don't believe that they cannot keep their searches clean.

And they've made it so easy to report bad sites? I'm just not smart enough to navigate to where you do it.

After I report the bad site, how long should it take them to remove it? A week?

I'll try loading a HJT report.

[Budfred]

If you want to believe that Google would be willing to risk one of the most effective and lucrative Internet companies in the world in order to mess with people, you certainly have the right to do that... It doesn't make any sense, but believe it if you must...

[Cuc Tu]

Wouldn't they make money by having those rogue links appear in thier results? Sort of like marketing and they would get paid for every hit. I don't see how else Google could make a penny off someone like me.

Just like the big holes MS still leaves in its SW. Helps the virus healers keep in business.

Maybe it's a conspiracy theory, but I sort of suspect that the big Cs will take care of themselves.

Holey Moley, I was freakin out. I entered the search:

"shadow sabre spark plug socket size"

And I got only ONE result, this thread!!!

Without the quote, I get the spam site, now in number 2 to this thread.


So you folks don't get these results? I'm perplexed. How could a virus or adware on my PC insert something into Google's pages? I suppose it's possible...?



Google's buy-in to XXX and Spam - The PC Guide Discussion Forumsshadow sabre spark plug socket size is the search that brings the bad result to the top. The original returns it as the second result. ...
www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?p=404456 - 1 hour ago - Similar pages


CLICK HERE! INFO ABOUT: honda scrambler manualhonda shadow sabre 07 honda shadow sabre 110 honda shadow sabre 1100 honda shadow sabre 1100 ... honda shadow spark plug socket honda shadow spark pulgs ...
dir2000.org.uk/www.ed.gov/test/6/pages.php?p=2743 - 91k - Cached - Similar pages


Bike Discussion / Shop Talk [Archive] - Shadowriders03 spirit 750 bogs down at high rpm/throttle restriction? holesaw mod fears · Spark Plug Hole Threads · 85 shadow fuel pump??? Sabre vs ACE 1100 exhaust ...
www.shadowriders.net/forums/archive/index.php/f-39.html - 17k - Cached - Similar pages

[PrntRhd]

Just don't click the CLICK HERE link, it goes to the nasty XP Antivirus 2008 malware!!!

Lucky for me I had NoScripts to block it from loading.

You say you sent word to Google to remove the baddie?

[Budfred]

Google makes billions a year doing legit business and those billions depend on their reputation as the safest and most effective search engine around... If they purposely did something like this, how long do you think it would take for them to lose it all??

Did you read the topic I posted and the articles in that topic... Google is working to fight this thing and only partially succeeding... Fully patched and secure PCs are mostly able to avoid the problems, but PCs that have not been secured are getting hit... I don't know if I have ever seen such an overwhelming array of attacks at the same time by the malware criminals... They are attacking in so many ways that it is almost overwhelming and they are hooking a lot of people who don't understand computers and who buy into their scare tactics and enticements... I don't know if they are trying to shut the web down, but they are certainly making it harder to function... Google is just one of the techniques they are using in this attack...

[George Hallam]

Just don't click the CLICK HERE link, it goes to the nasty XP Antivirus 2008 malware!!!

Lucky for me I had NoScripts to block it from loading.


me to but i temporary allowed it to see what it was :rolleyes:

but from my HJT log im ok.

But i can see how people can get drawn into believing that is some sort of legitimate site and getting badly infected

[Budfred]

George Hallam,

Are you running an antivirus and firewall?? I didn't see clear evidence of either in your log and your Java is outdated which means it is vulnerable... It could be that any infections are simply well hidden...

[Cuc Tu]

Budfred,

I scanned some of it. And you seem to say it's MS actually conducting the attacks. Of course they may just be the facilitators with their software.

PrntRhd,

I was brave (or stupid) and acutally clicked the second "CLICK HERE!" link and that site looked like it was legit. Anyway, Yes I reported the bad link, but it was not easy. I may not have found the right form because I had to search google for how to do it and then fumble around with more links to get to an actual form. Why can't they make it like on Craigslist?

[mjc]

I can manipulate the results I get, depending on what my preferences are set. In the filtering section, unfiltered gets me the nastiest sites, high on the list. with the default setting some of them are gone. On 'strict' they are all pretty much gone.

And, yes this is being tested from a machine that is absolutely impervious to any of these 'rogue' AV and most other infections of that nature...a Linux LiveCD in FF with NoScript (Knoppix and a custom config, including several addons for FF).

And yes, the 'raw' results on Google have always included sites of a dubious nature. The fact that Google is trying to keep up to date on the entire internet is going to pull in those sites. And yes, Google does try to 'police' the results, but there are quite a few things that are stretching that ability to the limit...not the least of which, is trying to remove sites that are actively 'pushing' malicious programs.

And in answer to your previous question...you'll probably have to wait forever to get them to pull the site...if you are the only one to have reported it. They just don't have the time or resources to investigate every single report, but multiple reports on the same site, yeah that'll move it up the 'urgent' pile (no, many reports from the same IP for the same site don't count). Think triage...

You also have to look a little at the way Google works. Sites that are very popular are ranked higher than those that aren't. One of the criteria in figuring out how popular a site is, is how many links to it exist around the web. One of the techniques used by these slimeballs is to spam the 'fecal' site all over the place...like 'guestbooks', blogs, forums, etc...all of this is beyond Google's control. Also, Google isn't the only search engine susceptible to this type of 'poisoning'...they all are. That is one of the reasons why we not only ban spammers, but neuter the links they drop. Many forums just don't get that part...the mods/admins leave the spam droppings in the threads and lo and behold...the search engine bots pick them up, follow them home and 'rank' the 'fecal' matter even higher.

Here's a thread, from about a year ago...same topic.

http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=59149&highlight=bible+covers

The link to the Register article is still 'good'...that article is worth a read.

[George Hallam]

George Hallam,

Are you running an antivirus and firewall?? I didn't see clear evidence of either in your log and your Java is outdated which means it is vulnerable... It could be that any infections are simply well hidden...

i have AV and i have just updated my Java (thanks for that i forget) and about the firewall well its kind of non existent i used to use Zonealarm then i wen to Kiro then to sun screen (or something like that) but with all i have had problems and online gaming can become a nightmare

so what FW would you suggest? ;)

[Budfred]

Budfred,

I scanned some of it. And you seem to say it's MS actually conducting the attacks. Of course they may just be the facilitators with their software.

Please don't ascribe paranoid ramblings to my comments -- I said absolutely NOTHING about MS being the villain... I said the Internet is generally under attack by criminals who are trying to steal everything they can and who use a wider array of attacks than I have seen before... Based on your other thread, you are online with an unpatched and mostly unprotected system that is impressive only in the fact that you are still able to use it at all... The problem is the user taking risks like that and falling for scams, not Google or MS... They may be able to improve their security, but even the most secure system in the world will not protect you against bad decisions...

George Hallam,

Sunbelt (Kerio) is an excellent firewall, but may require some tweaking to run properly... Outpost or Comodo are also good... All require some tweaking to avoid interfering, but that interference is there for a reason... What antivirus are you using?? I didn't see it in your log...

[George Hallam]

George Hallam,

Sunbelt (Kerio) is an excellent firewall, but may require some tweaking to run properly... Outpost or Comodo are also good... All require some tweaking to avoid interfering, but that interference is there for a reason... What antivirus are you using?? I didn't see it in your log...

im using avast but i re-installed it just as i posted the log its disabled on start up aswell i run it when i think i may have sometime

[Budfred]

im using avast but i re-installed it just as i posted the log its disabled on start up aswell i run it when i think i may have sometime
That is really not a good idea... The resident protection is the most important part of it... If you wait until you figure out that you might have something, your entire install and your bank account may be trashed... If you get hit by one of the most competent rootkits, you might never figure out that you are infected until you find out you've been robbed or the authorities show up at your door to confiscate your computer...

[Cuc Tu]

Please don't ascribe paranoid ramblings to my comments -- I said absolutely NOTHING about MS being the villain...

OK, Sorry Budfred. I thought,

"The same wonderful people (suppressing vomiting noises) that bring you Windows Antivirus 2008..."

this was the same antivirus that MS created a couple years back...

[mjc]

That's just one of the 'social engineering' tactics the scumbags use...looks familiar/was similar to a legit app.

[Cuc Tu]

Well, it's kind of off topic, but these folks are just trying to make a living, just like lawyers and used car dealers.

And we don't really have any laws to stop it anyways.

For example, it would be illegal for a door-to-door phone salesperson to on-the-sly plant a monitering device on my phone, but it seems perfectly OK for Google and Yahoo to plant some sort of bug on my computer to do the same sort of thing.

although I will qualify that with I'm not a big proponent of the government take care of me syndrome.

[Budfred]

OK, Sorry Budfred. I thought,

"The same wonderful people (suppressing vomiting noises) that bring you Windows Antivirus 2008..."

this was the same antivirus that MS created a couple years back...

That is exactly what they want you to believe... In addition to infesting your computer against your will, they also try to get you to pay them for the privilege by telling you they are legit and that they alone can clean your computer... They then use the info you give them or they steal from you to clean out your accounts if they can...

Well, it's kind of off topic, but these folks are just trying to make a living, just like lawyers and used car dealers.

And we don't really have any laws to stop it anyways.

For example, it would be illegal for a door-to-door phone salesperson to on-the-sly plant a monitering device on my phone, but it seems perfectly OK for Google and Yahoo to plant some sort of bug on my computer to do the same sort of thing.This is one of the most absurd things I have seen posted on this forum in a long time... We are talking about criminals who will steal everything they can from you and their other victims if they have the chance... These are not companies pushing the limits of what is legal information... These are hard criminals, some of whom are funding terrorism, who would kill you for a gold tooth... And yes, there are laws to stop them if they can be found and it can be proven they are responsible... Your apparent paranoia about Google and Yahoo is just not consistent with the true threats you are facing and seem to be mostly indifferent to...